The biography of the American band Iced Earth suffered from too may line-up changes over the years, so, basically the only original member, founder and leader Jon Schaffer IS Iced Earth. Ok, that was the line-up! No just kidding, well Matt Barlow was still there with his master voice, Larry Tarnowski was around to handle the lead guitar parts and James McDonough was the current bass player. Concerning the drummer, Brent Smedley, he is on the picture of the band in the booklet [at least in the US version] but I'm almost sure that he didn't played on that album as Mark Prator did. Smedley would be the drummer on the Alive in Athens CD but that's another story. So what was I saying? Yes, complicated lineup, especially if you add that their producer Jim Morris played some guitar parts and that since, Tarnowski has been fired, Barlow quit the band for personal reasons, I have no idea what happened to Brent Smedley but despite his amazing performance on stage, he's not anymore part of Iced Earth and finally James McDonough is still the official bass player [I think] but Iced Earth released two albums without his services... Nevertheless, the core of the band at that time, meaning the trio Schaffer-Barlow-Tarnowski worked perfectly as we will discuss later.

In fact, "later" is now. Who had never listen to the introducing 'Burning Times' without thinking 'WHAOUW'?? You're almost obliged to fall in love with that song. And if only, that was the only one! But no, that addictive album is growing in you like an insane thought and it will never let you alone [seriously!]. 'Melancholy [Holy Martyr]' was the single if I remember correctly - you've probably have NOT seen it on MTV - , a sad ballad whose qualities are only lowered by the autobiographic 'Watching Over Me' [written by Jon Schaffer for his best friend who died]. Between these two terrific pieces of emotion, 'Disciples Of The Lie' sounds like an exploding nuclear power plant but the same huge level of musicianship is still discernable throughout the harsh lines of the structure of that song.

With 'Stand Alone', Something Wicked This Way Comes gets even better [yes, it's possible] due to the hypnotic rhythm and the aggressive background vocals. While solos are not usually the main attract in Iced Earth's music, the lead guitar parts played in that song are simply mind-blowing

The follower 'Consequences' is my favorite track for a simple reason: it sums the whole album up. Acoustic guitar turning into thrashy riffs, clean vocals turning into screams and always that catchy melody from beginning to end. There's a word to describe that, and that word is "perfection".

As you've probably noticed, the entire album is based on the concept: brutal song / relatively calm song. So logically, 'My Own Saviour' is a come-back to aggression [and it does it well] while 'Reaping Stone' is a slow tempo track [but only the beginning... watch out after 2:15 minutes!]. However, 'Reaping Stone' has not enough personality to be counted among the best songs on the album, and seeing that all the others are incredible, well, that's the less interesting track.

The instrumental '1776' includes a splendid duo flute-guitars and is pure joy for the ears. Nothing bad to say about it. Plus it introduces the quiet beginning of the following song 'Blessed Are You' as well as it could be done. Now, that one is amazing. The idea of laying down the chorus on a mid-tempo rhythm while the whole song is slower shows the genius in Jon Schaffer's composition. Truly one of the highlights on Something Wicked This Way Comes.

After so many exceptional songs, the final touch to the masterpiece is brought by a trilogy called "Something Wicked" consisting of 'Prophecy', 'Birth Of The Wicked' and the closer 'The Coming Curse'. Each one of these songs is worth any of the previous highlights and all of them combined, they are the best piece of music that Iced Earth ever played.

The other aspects of Something Wicked This Way Comes: a perfect sound [great work from the Morrisound Studios], a great concept [the upcoming apocalypse brought by one man], splendid lyrics and a gorgeous cover art.

In their long succession of tremendous albums, 1998's Something Wicked This Way Comes seems to appear as the most important release of Iced Earth. And despite the ever changing line-up, this album has all you need... A must have!!!

if this is truly the best Iced Earth album then this band really does suck. Much like Metallica it seems people cling to this band because it is one of the first metal bands they hear.
very boring, poor performance and lyrics about the lamest stuff. 5/10

if this is truly the best Iced Earth album then this band really does suck. Much like Metallica it seems people cling to this band because it is one of the first metal bands they hear.
very boring, poor performance and lyrics about the lamest stuff. 5/10

IMO this album is way superior to all the bands you mentioned and especially something as generic as Heavenly.
But of copurse all the bands you just mentioned are European sounding power metal; whereas Iced Earth are firmly rooted within the US poower tradtion with some thrash thrown in on the side, much darker than all those euro souinding bands.

if this is truly the best Iced Earth album then this band really does suck. Much like Metallica it seems people cling to this band because it is one of the first metal bands they hear.
very boring, poor performance and lyrics about the lamest stuff. 5/10

IMO this album is way superior to all the bands you mentioned and especially something as generic as Heavenly.
But of copurse all the bands you just mentioned are European sounding power metal; whereas Iced Earth are firmly rooted within the US poower tradtion with some thrash thrown in on the side, much darker than all those euro souinding bands.

I guess i'm just trying to understand.. never been able to get into this band.
Yes Heavenly are generic but what they do they do excellently.
What is another band in the style of Iced Earth i.e. power metal American sound that is good? or is this the best?

if this is truly the best Iced Earth album then this band really does suck. Much like Metallica it seems people cling to this band because it is one of the first metal bands they hear.
very boring, poor performance and lyrics about the lamest stuff. 5/10

IMO this album is way superior to all the bands you mentioned and especially something as generic as Heavenly.
But of copurse all the bands you just mentioned are European sounding power metal; whereas Iced Earth are firmly rooted within the US poower tradtion with some thrash thrown in on the side, much darker than all those euro souinding bands.

I guess i'm just trying to understand.. never been able to get into this band.
Yes Heavenly are generic but what they do they do excellently.
What is another band in the style of Iced Earth i.e. power metal American sound that is good? or is this the best?

Seeing the bands you named just now I doubt you'd like any of the US Power bands (i.e. vicious rumors, helstar, sanctuary)

This album had a lot of potential i felt (for my personally listening anyways), but it just didn't cut it for me. Sure i found myself uncontrollably stomping my foot this, but I just couldn't get past the almost lack of I suppose adventure in the music. Theres just very little in terms excitement I suppose. What probably makes things worse for me is the HUGE incorporation of acoustic guitar tracks. I've now finally come to the self-admittance that I never liked acoustic guitar (I actually prefer just about any other acoustic stringed instrument over the acoustic guitar. Even the lute).

"As you've probably noticed, the entire album is based on the concept: brutal song / relatively calm song".
That's exactly what makes it so uneven and hard to not feel boredom. It is simply too inconsistent.

Excellent album, though I won't say it's the best from the band... I still like The Dark Saga more... most of the songs are killers, but personally, I prefer Burning Times, Disciples of the Lie, Stand Alone, 1776, Birth of the Wicked...

Watching Over Me is beautiful... But after listening to A Question of Heaven, it's hard to aprecciate it so much... xD
Anyway, incredible album: 9/10

Not taking into consideration their last 2 albums, this is probably the crappiest Iced Earth album.I don't understand why people call it a classic it is one of the most uninspired and generic of their albums.If you want a classic try listening to Night Of The Stormrider, which is by far Iced Earths best album.Something Wicked This Way Comes is pure shit compared to that album.

The first song is great but what's with Melancholy being so beautiful? I mean that song is so mediocre and Watching Over Me is just a little better anyway it is a good album no doubt just not worth a 9 or 10 if u ask me...